50-State Engineering Licensing Compliance Guide
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Ohio Engineering Industry Licensing

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Licensing requirements for engineering industry firms and individuals in Ohio.

This page provides an overview of engineering industry licensing in Ohio for individuals and firms. You will find state requirements, application fees, filing instructions, and more. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

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Company Licenses

Ohio Engineering Company Licenses

Ohio Certificate of Authorization (Engineering and Land Surveying)

Agency:Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors
Law:

O.R.C. § 4733.16

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Business Corporations
  • Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
  • Professional Associations
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:

Business Corporations:

  • At least one of the officers or directors must be an Ohio licensed individual.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the members or managers must be an Ohio licensed individual.

Partnerships:

  • At least one of the partners must be an Ohio licensed individual.

Professional Associations:

  • All of the incorporators and officers must be licensed individuals.
Notes:
  • A separate certified Firm Affidavit of Responsibility is required for each full-time professional engineer and/or professional surveyor designated in responsible charge. 
  • Full-time employee(s) must be registered as an active P.E. and/or P.S. in Ohio and a partner, manager, member, officer, or director of the company.
  • Full-time requirements include working more than 30 hours per week or working substantially all of the engineering and/or surveying hours for the firm that holds the certificate of authorization.

Initial Registration

Form:

Certificate of Authorization Application

Agency Fee:

$50

Turnaround:

Up to 60 days. The board will email applicants with confirmation.

Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Identify an Ohio licensed engineer or surveyor to act as the individual in responsible charge of the firm's professional activities in Ohio.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Identify an Ohio licensed engineer or surveyor to act as the individual in responsible charge of the firm's professional activities in Ohio.
  • Obtain a certificate of good standing from your business entity's home state (to be filed during the foreign qualification process). The certificate cannot be more than 90 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File entity formation documents with the Ohio Secretary of State.
  2. Create an online account and complete the firm registration through the Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. You will be asked to submit a full list of the firm's owners and a copy of the certificate/registration to do business in Ohio from the Ohio Secretary of State.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. File foreign qualification documents with the Ohio Secretary of State.
  2. Create an online account and complete the firm registration through the Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. You will be asked to submit a full list of the firm's owners and a copy of the certificate/registration to do business in Ohio from the Ohio Secretary of State.

Registration Renewal

Form:

Certificate of Authorization Renewal

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$50

Due:

By June 30 of even-numbered years. Online renewals may be filed as early as May 1.

Required Attachments:
  • List of directors, officers, managers, or members of the firm including addresses
  • Firm Affidavit of Responsibility for each licensee listed as affiliated with the firm
  • Proof of active Secretary of State registration
  • Firm ownership information

Amendment

Form:

Form 3012: Firm Affidavit of Responsibility

Agency Fee:

$50 for name change, $0 for most other changes.

Due:

Within 90 days of the effective date of the change.

Notes:

Most amendments can be reported using the eLicense portal. If there is a change to the individual in responsible charge, the firm affidavit of responsibility form must be filed along with the making the changes in the license portal.

Reinstatement

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$50

Notes:

Reinstatements can be filed through the eLicense portal

Ohio Geology Firm License

Not required



Geoscience Firm licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.

Individual Licenses

Ohio Individual Engineering Licenses

Ohio Geologist License

Not required



Professional Geoscientist licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.

Ohio Professional Engineer License

Agency:Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

See digital sealing guidelines.

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

Plans, specifications, plats, reports and all other engineering or surveying work product issued by a registrant shall be stamped with the said seal and be signed and dated by the registrant, or bear a computer generated seal and electronic signature and date.

...Plans, specifications, plats, reports and all other engineering or surveying work product bearing a computer generated seal and electronic signature and date shall have an electronic authentication process attached to or logically associated with the electronic document. The electronic signature must be unique to the person using it; capable of verification; under the sole control of the person using it; linked to a document in such a manner that the electronic signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed.

Ohio R.C. § 4733-23

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$75

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$40

Due:

By December 31 of odd-numbered years.

Ohio Professional Surveyor License

Agency:Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$75

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$40

Due:

By December 31 of odd-numbered years.

Learn about engineering licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Design Firm - Engineering firm registration is sometimes grouped with architecture and land surveying on a single “design firm” application form.

EI (Engineering Intern) - A term also used to describe an Engineer in Training.

EIT (Engineer in Training) - A professional designation granted upon having completed at least 3 years of school at an ABET-accredited university and having passed the FE exam.

FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) - An exam testing on basic engineering principles that is required to become an engineer in training.

PE (Professional Engineer or 'Principles and Practice in Engineering') - Means either Professional Engineer or refers to the Principles and Practice in Engineering exam that is a prerequisite for an engineering license.

Reciprocity - When a licensed engineer in one state can provide documentation (often an NCEES Record) to more easily apply for a license in another jurisdiction.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Accrediting board that sets standards for university programs in a variety of applied science disciplines.

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Engineering, architecture, and land surveying advocacy group.

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Organization that provides continuing education, professional conferences, and advocacy efforts to the civil engineering community.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Mechanical engineering organization that focuses on education and professional development.

Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
Reviews accreditation requirements and makes final decisions regarding the accreditation process.

National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES)
Develops, administers, and scores the exams used for engineering licenses.

National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
NSPE is an advocacy group for professional engineers.

Revised November 11, 2022. Complete data last reviewed June 04, 2019.
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